Date: Wed, 03 Sep 1997 16:21:01 -0400 From: Derek Glidden <dglidden@geocities.com> To: cp@opus.hpl.hp.com Message-Id: <aabcdefg3350$foo@default> Subject: Hybrids and fertility
I keep hearing/reading about various CP hybrid species not being fertile
either self- or cross-. I'm not sure I understand why? For one thing,
I thought (obiously wrongly) that species were only fertile to the same
species, so I guess I don't understand how hybrids can be developed
anyway. I've always been under the impression that a "hybrid" was a
cross between two differing _variations_ in a distinct species. At
least, that's what I've thought about, say, a new rose hybrid, or maybe,
since I'm in Florida, a new strain of citrus tree. So, if you can cross
differing species, then, since you have a "valid" genetic combination,
why does it seem that so many of them are sterile? I would expect that
any valid genetic combination should be able to reproduce.
And I suppose, along similar lines, since Nepenthes are male/female
differentiated, does it make any difference to your hybrid which sex of
which species you're crossing? (i.e. is a Male mirabilis x Female
gracilis the same thing as a Female mirabilis x Male gracilis? I'm just
pulling species names that I can think of, I don't know if that's even a
valid cross...) Or is there no difference at the genetic level, but the
common naming is different to differentiate the two?
I guess this is really kind of a Genetics 101 question, but I can't
figure it out. Of course, there's that whole thing with horses and
donkeys that I never understood either...
-- -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Derek Glidden http://www.illusionary.com Illusionary.com Home of the Pagan Resource Site Web development, database, graphics and general plumbing Linux, FreeBSD, Apache, MySQL, PostgreSQL, PHP (Say No to NT!)
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